


Invitations

by Shamecubed



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Post Game, Slow Burn, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21801778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shamecubed/pseuds/Shamecubed
Summary: It was just another tournament, nothing definitive, simply a gathering of powerful trainers testing their skills against each other in preparation for championships to come.Though, Bede would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy it when it was just the two of them on the pitch.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 53
Kudos: 195





	1. Sentiments & Sunbeams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want Bede to be happy even if he is a little bitch

It was ridiculous, really, how he would check his mail each day once a tournament was announced, anticipating his invitation with the impatience of a Pokemon awaiting its dinner. With feigned disinterest, Bede casually thumbed through Ballonlea Gym’s mail until he found what he was looking for; a sticker-sealed envelope addressed to him in a quick cursive scrawl. The tiniest of smiles graced his features as he opened his prize, violet eyes skimming over content he may as well know by heart.

_Dear Gym Leader Bede,  
The honour of your presence is requested by Champion Gloria as a participant in this Saturday’s tournament at Wyndon Stadium. Please indicate your interest by Friday evening, via the enclosed mail-out or at the Wyndon Stadium front counter.  
We look forward to your response,  
Wyndon Stadium League Staff_

Bede swiftly plucked the mail-out from the envelope, checked off “Attending,” and tossed it into the gym's outbox without a moment of hesitation. While there was no need to rush, there really wasn't much else going on for him during these seasonal lulls when a championship had recently ended.

He had grown into his gym leader position splendidly over the years, but the skill gap between him and his staff often made training sessions somewhat dull. Bede was always quick to join these little tournaments, even if he wasn't formally invited, just to keep his team sharp. Truly, there was no other time he could let his Pokemon go all out in battle, if not faced against the reigning champion, Gloria.

A tinge of excitement possessed him at just the thought, and he ran a hand through his thick curls in an attempt to dispel the feeling. It was just another tournament, nothing definitive, simply a gathering of powerful trainers testing their skills against each other in preparation for championships to come.

There was no doubt that Gloria was the strongest trainer in the region, now. Much time had passed since she seized the title from Leon's grasp, and with no challengers able to dethrone her so far, she appeared to be coming for his "undefeatable" streak as well.

It was admirable, not that Bede would willingly admit it, but the incontestable strength she displayed when battling, as frustrating as it could be, was simply… Incredible.

He would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy it when it was just the two of them on the pitch; the serious glint in her eye as she stood across from him, their pointed banter in the thick of battle—even the bitter taste of defeat wasn’t so awful, as long as it was her, the one person in all of Galar he considered worthy enough to call his rival.

Bede swallowed thickly as a strange warmth bubbled up in his chest, burying the feeling as quickly as it had surfaced. Reminiscing like this would only serve to distract him. Worse, still, would be if anyone knew how often he entertained such embarrassing thoughts.

Miss Opal, in all her wisdom, always seemed to have an inkling of his emotional state, perhaps even better than himself. Knowing this, Bede dreaded that he would not ever hear the end of it, were he to mention Gloria even once in his mentor's presence. She already offhandedly referred to the champion, unprompted, enough.

He glanced over his shoulder warily as he strode out of the gym, deciding some fresh air would clear his head. Slinging his coat over his shoulders, Bede stepped outside into the woodland town, a crisp morning breeze ghosting over him. Thin beams of sunlight flitted through the forest canopy, highlighting the colourful mushrooms and freckling the soil with warm spots of light which wavered in the wind.

Ballonlea was a beautiful place, that, he couldn’t deny. Bede considered himself quite lucky to reside here as the gym leader. It was home, now, and he couldn’t imagine what course his life would’ve taken had he not ended up here, this enchanting forest town existing in perfect harmony with the Pokemon around it. 

Morelull and Chinchou crooned their greetings as he made his way towards the Pokemon center. It was never too early to stock up on supplies. He mulled over his mental shopping list; hyper potions, full restores... Pokeballs, too. Always better to have more than not enough.

He stopped in his tracks as he entered the store section of the building, the magazine rack immediately catching his attention. Who else would be on the cover of the latest "Trainer’s Digest" but the very trainer plaguing his thoughts. His eyes zeroed in on the headline. _Galar’s Cutest Champion?_

Bede scoffed, yet his gaze lingered. They used an admittedly tasteful photograph. He didn’t have Gloria’s rare trainer card, did he? No, as if he would ask.

Somehow, the magazine ended up on the counter with the rest of his shopping as he paid the merchant. Bede was hoping to leave quietly when the shopkeeper spoke up.

“Say, we got a few of these free posters in with the newest shipment of Trainer’s Digest. Here, take one with you.”

Before Bede could refuse, the poster was tucked into his newly purchased magazine and thrown into his bag with the rest of its contents. He mumbled his thanks and hurried out of the Pokemon center, somewhat flustered at his own impulse-buy.

As soon as he got home, Bede ducked into his room and yanked out the magazine, fully intending to throw it in a drawer and never look at it again. Of course, before the offending paperback could reach its chosen destination, the exclusive poster conveniently fell out onto the floor.

He instantly snatched it off the ground, his hands apparently moving on their own as the fold-out unraveled itself between his shaking fingers. _Oh no._ Oh… There was Gloria front and center. Heat exploded under his collar and he found himself lifting the fabric to his chin. The headline wasn’t wrong. Wait, wait, _this was his rival!_ She wasn’t, this… Uh…

His mind went blank as he took a good, long look at her outfit. Wearing an airy yet elegant dress featuring Cherrim print, the windblown fabric was only complemented by her open cardigan and trademark beret. She was clutching a Budew in one arm and smiling sweetly at the camera, eyes half-lidded and sparkling in the sun. The backdrop appeared to be set in the bright yellow fields of her hometown, with a few popular members of her Pokemon team posing off in the distance.

Bede gently folded the poster back up. _What the hell was he going to do with this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a surprise tool that will help us later


	2. Tournament Turnabout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3

Wyndon Stadium was abuzz with voices, anticipation for the tournament steadily rising as viewers and participants alike filled in the lobby. Gloria kept a bounce in her step as she excitedly paced the building, searching out familiar faces who she might end up battling with.

“Hey, Gloria!”

A voice she’d recognize anywhere called from the entryway, a jean-jacketed arm waving at her from above the crowd. Hop made his way over with a grin wider than his face could hold.

“I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Hop!” Gloria smiled at her long-time rival and friend as she captured him with a hug.

“Aw, what, didn’t miss your bestie at all?” Hop winked as he pulled away and slung his hands behind his head.

She placed a hand on her hip at the accusation. “No, I just figured you had your plate full with your studies, the mentorship and all that.”

“You’re not wrong, mate, but lately I’ve been feeling kinda couped up in the lab...” Hop brought his arms down to fidget with the strap on his bag as he spoke.

Gloria was about to ask if something was bothering him until Hop’s amber eyes locked with hers, his smile returning as quickly as it had left. “Plus, my Pokemon could use the exercise! They’ve been just as antsy as I am!"

With renewed energy, Hop carried on, pumping his fists. “Ah, I guess what I’m saying is, I'm really itching to battle you! You don’t mind me just dropping in, right?”

His enthusiasm downright infectious, Gloria found herself mirroring his grin without a second thought. “Of course not! You’re always welcome to receive a thrashing by yours truly.”

Hop chuckled warmly. “That's my rival! I’ll see you on the green, then, Glo!”

As her friend departed to change into his uniform, Gloria tensed, suddenly feeling as though a pair of eyes were burning into her. Hesitantly turning to survey the room, it didn’t take long to notice exactly who was staring—none other but her guest of honour, leaning coolly against a pillar, his piercing glance daring her to approach him.

So she did, gleefully. “Bede! Glad you made it!”

"Of course." Bede raised an eyebrow scrutinizingly. “Did you invite him, too?”

Gloria blinked twice before realizing who Bede was referring to. “Nah, Hop just showed up.”

“I see.” Bede shifted from the pillar, hovering over her just to make eye contact. “Well, if I have to beat him to get to you, so be it.”

Gloria felt her pulse pick up ten-fold. He was _too_ close, looking at her _too_ intensely, and all _too_ oblivious of the impact of his own words. _Why was he like this!!!_

“You’re taller than I remember.” Gloria blurted out as she squinted up at him, hoping to distract from her internal combustion.

Bede smirked, straightening his back to his maximum height and tilting his head at her smugly. “You aren’t.”

Blush forgotten and fury ignited, Gloria jabbed a finger into Bede's chest with a glare. "I'm starting to wonder if you really come to these tournaments just for the opportunity to piss me off."

"You set yourself up." He lifted a hand nonchalantly, as if stating the obvious, an amused smile settling on his face. "Not my fault you're the shortest in the league, now."

Gloria withdrew her finger, hand curling into a shaky fist. First he flustered her, now, this blatant mockery of her stature. _The audacity._ Bede sure seemed to enjoy getting under her skin whenever he could; as if she would just let him tease her, the champion, without consequence… The corner of her mouth quirked up with a devious thought.

"Should I revoke your invitation?"

Bede's eyes widened in alarm before narrowing. "You wouldn't."

He was right about that, Gloria wasn't cruel. Still, she had to string him along, somehow.

"Maybe I should invite Marnie instead?" She tapped a finger to her chin, pouting with false offense. “I’m sure she could make it last minute, since she actually likes seeing me!”

Seemingly unaffected, Bede kept up his aloof airs. "If you do, I'll just sign up on the spot, anyway."

"Ooh,” Gloria snapped her fingers, “That would be a great plan, if, Hop didn't take the last slot left for drop-ins." She let a sly grin loose in triumph as Bede finally began to crack.

"You can't call me here just to send me back.” He frowned, a wild spark flashing in his eye for a split second. “This is- It’s the only time we get to battle each other!"

Gloria's smirk left her. _It doesn't have to be,_ she thought. Why was it that, over the years, they let their rivalry be bound to a formal event? A touch of guilt tugged at her heart and she reached up to pat his shoulder.

"I was just messing with you, Bede, I could never kick you out.” Bede froze, stilled by the shock of his own outburst and the gentle feel of her hand resting on him. Met only with his silence, Gloria offered a small, sincere smile as she continued.

“Matches with you are always fun.” She admitted so softly only he would hear it, a dust of pink painting her cheeks. “You're honestly my favourite person to invite."

Moments turned to minutes before Gloria finally dropped her hand back to her side. Like a statue coming to life, Bede cleared his throat and looked away, deliberately avoiding her eyes as feeble attempts at sentences began to spill from his mouth.

“Ah. Yeah. Clearly. I mean, I... I need to get ready, then.” He pivoted on his heel, bee-lining it towards the locker room with impressive haste.

Gloria tilted her head as she watched Bede depart so suddenly. Did she say too much? Had she broken him? Oh well. They’d be seeing each other soon enough.

* * *

No way.

There was no way he could have anticipated… This.

With the blinding slash of an enormous blade, Bede’s G-maxed Hatterene toppled backwards in an explosion of energy as the defeated Pokemon reverted to its natural size, returning to him.

No, this wasn't how it was supposed to go _at all_.

It wasn't a graceful loss. It was rough. It was mortifying. It wasn't her. 

Bede felt his hands instinctively ball into fists at his sides, before catching himself in the action and flattening one to his chest. With a ragged sigh of defeat, he reluctantly addressed his all too smiley opponent. "I can hardly believe you won."

Hop crossed his arms defensively. "Don't pinch yourself."

Bede narrowed his eyes. "Listen, Hop," He began, swallowing his pride with utmost effort. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

"You suppose? Well, make it quick, champ's waiting for me!" Hop grinned, unable to resist basking in his victory as Bede barely suppressed his annoyance with the professor-in-training.

“Fine.” The blonde huffed, steeling himself to get the words out. “Back when we were still gym challengers, I was... more than unkind to you.”

Hop looked stunned. The last thing he expected was a genuine apology. A thinly veiled jab, maybe, not whatever this was. “You really aren’t the same posh jerk anymore, huh?” 

Bede could hardly hold back his frown. _"Posh jerk"_ echoed in his mind like a call to arms. He took a deep breath; now was not the time to go feral. He could do this. He could be a decent human being.

“...Yeah. I’m sorry.” Bede choked out, eyes turned towards the green of the pitch. Whatever expression Hop was making, he didn’t want to see it. Yet, the crunching of turf indicated the other boy’s approach, forcing the gym leader to acknowledge Hop’s outstretched hand and stupid grin, wide as ever. 

“Alright, mate. Thanks!” Hop was forgiving to a fault, as expected of the champion’s best friend. Surely, she'd approve of this.

Hesitation gripping him for a sheer second, Bede eventually mirrored the gesture and the two trainers shook hands in an almost unbelievable display of sportsmanship. 

“You sure have changed.” Hop mumbled, but Bede had heard it. Merely shrugging in response, he turned away, willing his composure to stay as he left the field.

 _Ugh._ Bede felt exhausted to the core after that exchange. He was not in the mood to deal with all the people in the lobby right now, so he wedged himself as far away from the exit as he could without losing sight of the locker room’s television. Although Hop had unexpectedly stolen his match against Gloria—to his considerable dismay—Bede wasn’t about to miss seeing the champion in action.

* * *

Despite Zacian at his side, Hop lost. Seeming to expect its appearance, Gloria spent a good chunk of turns fortifying the stats of her Pokemon early in the match, setting herself up to take down the legendary wolf cleanly before it could get a chance to slice through her team. 

Hop rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as Zacian stumbled to the ground with a howl, recalling the hero Pokemon to it’s ball. He shut one eye in a half-grimace before forcing a flimsy smile back onto his face. “Still tough as ever, eh mate?”

Gloria wore an apologetic look as she walked over, extending her hand towards him. “I’m not about to give up my title, yet.” 

Hop chuckled lightly at that, grasping her arm to pull her body flush against him in a tight hug. After a surprised pause, Gloria wrapped her free hand around him in return to give him a reassuring pat on the back. “This feels so nostalgic.” She murmured, smiling gently as she broke their embrace.

Beaming brightly back, Hop nodded. “Yeah, it’s like old times, isn’t it? Though, I really miss the detours...” His grin soon faded as something crossed his mind and a resigned sigh escaped through his teeth.

“I oughta get going. I have an exam coming up!” Hop winced as it dawned on him just how much studying he had left to do. 

“Well, it was good to see you, Hop. Thanks for dropping in! It was really fun.” Gloria’s smile widened as she offered Hop a supportive thumbs-up. “I’m sure you’ll ace your exam!”

His grin returned in full, a slight blush tinting his cheeks at the encouragement. “Yeah, it was nice to let off some steam, you know!” 

Hop waved his goodbye as he sprinted off the field. Racing straight through the locker room, he didn’t notice the shrouded pair of violet orbs tracking his movement with laser precision. Moments later, Gloria walked in at an ordinary pace, her own gaze darting about before settling on the only other presence in the room.

Bede was still there, situated in the corner, looking like a dark aura was about to swallow him whole. Hands on his knees, he sat stiff as a board, face expressionless and eyes devoid of light. Gloria could practically feel the misery rolling off him in waves. _What a drama queen._ Still, his obvious disappointment managed to endear her. He must've been truly looking forward to their battle together... She requested him, after all.

Upon Gloria's hesitant approach, Bede whipped his head in her direction, a sullen pout forming on his face as he glanced up at her from his seat. 

"I feel cheated." He admitted, his mouth flattening into a thin line. "How was I to know he had a legendary Pokemon?"

Gloria couldn't help but laugh in response, Bede’s expression softening slightly at the sound.

“You’re right, that was pretty unfair.” Gloria adjusted a strand of her unruly bangs as she continued. “Did you know I have a legendary Pokemon, too?”

Of course she did. The counterpart to Zacian, he presumed. There was a whole damn book about them; her, Hop, and their perfect little adventure together that he couldn’t bare to read a page of. Just witnessing the duo together, for some reason, was enough to leave him nauseated.

Bede paled; he should've responded by now, but an uncomfortable tightness had built up in his throat. Luckily for him, the champion carried on without much pause. 

“I wouldn’t use it in a tournament, though. Kinda cheapens the experience, yeah?” There was that kind smile again, a gentle curve of her lips he couldn’t ignore. He had to do something.

Bede nodded agreeably, silently wringing his mind for some kind of relevant remark. When nothing came, he instead stood from the bench and crossed his arms, peering down at Gloria with heightened purpose. Craning her neck, she met Bede’s gaze nervously, unsure what exactly was going on in his head. “Uh, sorry, am I keeping you?” 

“No. I don’t plan on leaving here without getting a proper match from you.” He narrowed his eyes, though he was almost certain she wouldn’t turn him down. 

She chuckled as she shook her head in mock disbelief. “Alright, well, since the tournament's over, where should we go?”

Bede blinked. A change of venues? Right, that made sense. He brought a hand to his chin in thought as Gloria carried on before even taking suggestions.

“There’s your gym, if you prefer to use Dynamax, or we could find somewhere out in the wilds for a more old-fashioned showdown.” Her eyes twinkled excitedly as she looked to him and Bede felt his heart beat a little harder. “What do you think?” Her voice rang out again. 

“Okay.” The answer slipped out before he had finished processing the situation.

Gloria gave him a questioning look. “I mean, where’d you prefer?” 

Bede snapped out of his momentary trance. “I’m not sure. I guess I don’t care that much whether we use Dynamax or not. Why do I have to pick?” He complained.

Ah, there was the Bede she knew. Now mindful of how little time they spent together outside of fighting each other, Gloria figured they might as well have some extra fun. She just needed the right type of lure... 

“Hey, you’re the one who challenged me, Gym Leader Bede.” She raised an eyebrow tauntingly. "So, your call."

He huffed, heat rising to his cheeks against his will. “Fine, fine… I just need a moment to decide.”

“In that case, do you mind if we grab a bite to eat first?” Gloria asked pleadingly, gazing up at him not unlike a begging Yamper.

“Okay.” 

_Wait,_ Bede thought, _was his brain short-circuiting? What exactly is he agreeing to, here?_

Gloria smiled, pleased that her trap had been sprung. “Great! I’m pretty hungry after all that. How about we go to the café on the west side of town?”

 _A café, huh_ … “Okay.” 

Damn his careless mouth. Swallowing roughly, he wondered if he was losing his mind. Bede hoped she didn't notice the sweat gathering at his temples. How did it come to this? Sure, he wanted to battle her, but this... this sounded like a-

“Are you," Gloria mimed air quotes, "Okay?” She was starting to worry over his uncharacteristic compliance.

“I’m…” Bede stopped himself repeating the same word again like a maniac. “Good.”

“Good?” She sounded disbelieving. 

Bede rubbed an arm against his forehead, a desperate attempt to mop up the overflowing frustration welling within him. “Let’s just go already.”

"Alright!" Gloria clasped her hands together in cheer. “I’d like to change first, so I’ll meet you outside!”

“Sure.” He remarked as they temporarily parted ways.

As Bede switched from his own uniform to a more casual look, visions of what had just transpired stormed in his mind. This was quite different from their usual routine, where they had their match together, then returned to their respective duties soon after. _Were they even friends?_ Probably not. Yet, that very thought made his chest ache, strangely enough.

Bede felt a sigh escape him, threading a hand through his hair to ground himself in reality. This was just business, as usual. They were two trainers having a quick lunch before their battle, that's all.

The frown that had settled on his face faded fast as he stepped outside the stadium to find Gloria awaiting him, her eyes lighting up with mirth as soon as she set sight on the fairy gym leader. He glanced around, unsure if he was being mistaken for someone else, but the brilliant smile she revealed was for no other but him.

“Took you long enough! I’m starving. Come on!” She all but bounded to his side, Bede’s eyes widening as she reached out to tug on his sleeve, pulling him towards their destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah, it's definitely not a date, totally, yup no dating going on here as you can plainly see


	3. Cliffside Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Order up! One heaping pile of fluff with a side of bad jokes

A bell jingled as glass doors flew open and two squabbling trainers entered the cozy, coffee-themed establishment, completely disrupting the peace. It wasn’t until they were both staring at the menu that Gloria finally dropped her hand from the magenta sleeve she held like a vice.

“You didn’t have to drag me the whole way over.” Bede griped, yet there was no real annoyance in his tone.

Gloria kept her eyes trained on the menu hanging at the back of the wall. “It was insurance.” She quipped. “In case you tried to escape.”

“Like I could get away from you.” The gym leader mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gloria turned back to him, squinting.

His own gaze darts back to the menu. “Forget it. Just get your food.”

“Don’t you want anything?” Her head tilts in question, earning his attention back, if only for a second.

“Hm.” Bede quietly eyed the pecha berry and buttercream layered cake in the display window. Following his stare with her own, Gloria caught sight of the pastel-pink pastry. “Is that what you like? Let me get it for you.”

“Huh? That’s not necessary.” He held his palm up in protest, as if that would deter her. She was insistent.

"Oh please, I’ve got prize money for days. It’ll be faster if we pay for everything at once.”

Bede sighed, it was a waste of time to argue, especially with Gloria giving him a look that would surely lower his attack stat, were he a Pokemon. “If it hastens things, fine.”

She beamed at him. “How about you grab us some seats while I order?”

A reasonable request, so he complies with no objection. Spying a small unoccupied table in the leftmost corner, Bede walked over to claim it. He shrugged off his coat and slung it over the chair on one end before sitting down, leaving the booth-seat across him vacant for Gloria.

She returned shortly, with a number clipped to a metal stand in one hand and his slice of cake in the other, setting both down on the table before leaving once more to grab some cutlery and two glasses of water from the counter.

“You didn’t have to do all that, yourself.” Bede muttered as he picked up one of the spoons that Gloria unceremoniously dumped before them. Placing the cups with much more care than their utensils, she shrugged. “It’s the least I can do, seeing how I’ve taken you hostage.”

“I agreed to come here, didn’t I?” Bede promptly answered, already beginning to sample his cake as Gloria seated herself, placing her bag and hat at her side before folding her arms over the table.

“You did...” She brought a hand up and dropped her chin into it, a grin curling the corners of her lips. “Thank you.”

Bede chewed slowly. Why the hell was she thanking him? He hadn’t been exactly pleasant company. Perhaps he could be a tiny bit nicer, since she paid for his meal and all. Just out of courtesy.

“Is that good?” Gloria asked suddenly, observing him eat with palpable envy.

“Mn.” Bede responded. His mouth full, it was barely an answer, but Gloria could gather from the way he ate that it was probably delicious as fuck.

“Can I have a bite?” She asked hopefully.

Bede swallowed. “No?”

“C’mon, I gotta wait for my food. Just a taste. Please?”

“Learn some patience.” Bede carved another piece of pastry for himself as Gloria pouted and stared him down. He cocked a brow at the ravenous girl, her gaze never wavering. Again with the baby-doll eyes, really? Did she think he was so easily swayed? Maybe the slightest bit, if Bede was totally honest, but not enough to share. It was a damn good cake.

"Pleeeasee?" She straight-up whined.

“You’re being childish, it’s unfit of a champion.” He stated between spoonfuls.

“If I’m such a child, then feed me.”

Bede almost choked. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“How about I order you, as champion.” The smile on her face took on a sinister tilt.

“Are you seriously going to use that as leverage?” Suppressing his unease, Bede shot an incredulous look in her direction as he carefully sliced into his coveted confection once more.

“Worth a try.” Gloria shrugged. “It just looks sooo good-”

His resolve crumbling like the very cake he was _trying_ to enjoy, Bede reluctantly held his spoon out to her, a rather generous portion piled upon it. There was simply no other way to silence her pestering without causing a scene, he concluded.

“I'm only doing this so you'll be quiet.”

Faced with the decadent spoonful, Gloria was struck with momentary bewilderment. She wasn’t expecting him to actually cave to her whims, especially like this. However, she was not about to let such a rare opportunity slip her by, so she grabbed Bede’s wrist to steady his curiously shaking hand and guided the spoon to her mouth.

As soon as he felt Gloria's fingers trap his wrist between them, realization slugged Bede in the head with the velocity of a sucker punch. The red flush creeping up his neck was seriously betraying his practiced stony expression as he watched his rival close her lips around the cake he offered. A touch of pink frosting was left on her cheek as she withdrew, setting his hand free at last. Her eyes fluttered closed as she savoured the taste and Bede felt unbearably hot at the sight.

On impulse, he popped the spoon back in his mouth to clean off the last traces of icing, then quickly placed it back on his plate while Gloria was too preoccupied with her sample to notice. Considering Bede still had more than half a slice left to finish, he didn't really understand what overcame him to do so. But, it was too late to care now, what with the colour of his cheeks nearly matching the intensity of his jacket hung behind him. He wouldn't question it, and she'd never know. All that was certain was that it was a fucking undoubtedly good cake.

" _Ahem,_ "

Both trainers nearly leapt out of their seats as a café employee awkwardly cleared his throat, his approach gone completely unnoticed by the table’s two flustered occupants.

"Order number 23?"

Still chewing, Gloria meekly raised her hand, and a toasted sandwich along with a small saucer of tamato soup was set in front of her. As their server strolled away with the number stand and she tucked into her freshly made meal, the champion stole a glance at her rival. Bede had turned his head to the side, wearing an unreadable expression and an interesting shade colouring his face. It seemed a mutual silence now sat thickly between them.

Gloria knew that she, too, was likely donning a furious blush. She had definitely crossed some sort of line, there. Meaning to get just a tiny bit of revenge on the gym leader for messing with her before the tournament, Gloria ended up embarrassing them both, instead.

Though, it was well worth it, in her opinion. The cake was sweet, perfectly tart, and fluffy. She could even taste the berries in the icing. Sweeter still, Bede's unguarded reaction was also a treat in itself. Was that weird of her, to enjoy teasing him so much? She had already committed herself to taking their rivalry to a new level, somehow. Where exactly, she wasn't sure yet, but she was curious to find out.

She always regarded Bede as an intriguing person; something about his poise in battle sort of dazzled her, and she liked his unflinching determination paired with his smart-ass commentary. Despite their rather rocky history and ongoing competitive streak, she really wanted to consider him a friend, if he'd let her.

With the right motivation, Gloria always figured that Bede could actually be nice, though his words contrasted his actions more often than not. Opal was never able to shake the sass out of him, in fact, Gloria wouldn’t be surprised if the feisty elder actively encouraged it.

Of all things about Bede that Gloria was positively sure of, was that his Pokemon were spoiled rotten. There was an unconditional kindness in the way he treated his partners that was blatant to her even in the midst of battle. As an experienced champion, Gloria could easily recognize strong bonds between a trainer and their Pokemon, and she was certain it made all the difference.

With the thoughts of their past matches crossing her mind, she put down her half-finished sandwich and turned her attention back to the gym leader in front of her, who was delicately sipping his glass. “Hey, Bede...”

“What happened to being quiet?” Bede answered a little sourly as he put down his water and began to dig back into his remainder of cake.

Rolling her eyes, Gloria pressed on. “I was just wondering if you’ve decided where we should battle.”

Bede paused as he lifted his spoon. “Oh, right,” He hadn’t at all. “Well, Ballonlea is a bit far, so anywhere outdoors will do."

Honestly, the fairy type leader preferred to avoid his gym at this hour. On weekends like this, Opal would be likely be managing the theatre section, meaning the place was absolutely riddled with gossip enthusiasts.

"Hm, Route Ten is the closest spot I can think of, but it's snowing there." The champion supplied, and Bede scrunched his face up slightly in disapproval.

Gloria nodded in understanding, both trainers wordlessly agreeing that they would prefer to avoid the cold. A new suggestion popped into her mind. "How about we grab the train to Hammerlocke, and figure it out from there?"

“Why not just take some taxis over?” Bede questioned.

“Again, insurance.” Teasingly, she jabbed her soup spoon in his direction. “They're single seaters... What if you just fly home and make me look like an idiot?”

“I don’t need to stand you up to make you look like an idiot.” Bede taunted, the corner of his mouth ticking upwards. “And to suggest I’d run off on my own challenge, like a coward? That’s not happening.” He added with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Well, good. I’ve been really looking forward to our match.” Gloria grinned brightly, the smudge of frosting from earlier still decorating her cheek.

Bede found himself staring, her smile seemed to stir something within him, that peculiar warmth he tried so hard to smother and hide. He was soon grinning back unabashedly before he could think twice, tapping at his cheek with a finger. “You’re a mess.”

Blinking in surprise, Gloria reached up to rub her face where she thought Bede had pointed to.

“Wrong side.” He chimed in with a short chuckle as she inspected her hand to find nothing.

Gloria blushed as pink as the icing she finally managed to wipe off. Did she hear that right? Did he just... laugh? It seemed he was more than just amused at her expense, an odd glimmer in his eyes she couldn’t quite figure out. Never once known for timidity, suddenly here she was, the champion rendered shy under the gaze of some sparkle-emanating fairy boy giving her a Look. He didn’t quit it, so she huffed and raised her eyebrows at him, as if to ask, _What now?_

Violet eyes lowering, Bede pushed his empty plate aside, his smile subtle yet still warm.

“We can take the train.”

* * *

The ride to Hammerlocke was spent in relative silence, with Gloria spending most of the trip staring wistfully through the window, lost in thought. It was closer quarters than the café, Bede’s long legs bumping up against hers under the miniscule table between them. Neither seemed to mind, completely distracted by their own internal monologues. 

Bede busied himself with his rotom-phone, scrolling mindlessly through his feed until the blur of a familiar magenta coat stilled his thumb over a particularly bothersome image. Someone had taken a stealthy snapshot of their little rendezvous at the café and _already_ posted it? He scowled at his device so fiercely it intimidated the Rotom within. One of the shadier patrons glued to their phone a few tables over must’ve taken the picture, then gutlessly waited for the pair to leave before uploading it without permission. Though the worst of it, by far, was the infuriating caption accompanying the photo.

_Fairy Gym Leader Loses to Drop-In Drop-Out HOP, Wins Champion Pity Date??? (Eyes emoji)_

If Bede had to list just three words he absolutely hated to see associated with him in the media, they were: _Pity, Date,_ and _Pity-Date._ Alright, so maybe the last one was a stretch, but who even cares. He, for one, did not care what the region deemed its latest scoop, nor did he desire the sympathy of its citizens, and most of all he loathed the broadcasting of his relationship status with anyone. Still, he supposed it could be with someone worse.

Thankfully, it wasn't as incriminating a photo as it could have been. Mostly out of focus, he was simply drinking from his glass while Gloria was unflatteringly pictured mid-bite, eating her sandwich, the tiny pink speck of frosting still present on her face. Bede almost smiled at that detail, scorn subsiding as he imagined kissing it off.

 _Hold it_. He did not just think that. Nope. Moving on. 

Bede would definitely throttle whoever posted the picture, if he could. For now, he would have to settle for flagging the post and reporting the poster. What else could he do? He was busy with a very important battle today, and all this PR stuff was such a pain in the ass, he would really prefer to ignore it all.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket with an annoyed sigh, Bede looked to Gloria, whose eyes were practically glazed over at this point. What was she thinking about that was so interesting she wasn't bothering him?

"Gloria." He softly prodded, but it seemed she was on another planet entirely. He reached towards her, rudely snapped his fingers, and she finally turned to him with a single brow raised. 

"Uh, yeah?"

Bede wavered for a moment, as he hadn't actually prepared anything to say or ask. _Whatcha thinkin' about?_ Wasn't precisely his style, though it seemed breaking habits was the theme of the day. Must be due to his prolonged exposure to the idiocy radius Gloria emitted. Usually the champion would fill in the blanks herself, since conversation always seemed easy for her. Usually? Huh. Maybe they were more familiar than he figured.

"...Are we there yet?" He drawled out the first thing that came to mind, and Gloria burst into muffled giggles at the unexpected and rather useless question.

Gathering herself into a stiff posture and shooting Bede the most aloof expression she could muster, Gloria placed a hand squarely over her chest with an exaggerated sigh. Immediately recognizing the gesture, Bede felt he was probably about to regret his tactless comment.

" _You're Being Childish_ ," She answered mockingly, pitched down slightly in a horrendous imitation of his voice. "It's unfit of a _Gym Leader._ " 

With her mild yet unmistakable accent leaking into her already awful impression, Bede couldn’t even find it in him to be insulted. It was so bad, it was somewhat entertaining, granted she didn’t continue talking like that. Concealing his amusement, Bede folded his arms over his chest. “That sounded nothing like me at all.”

Gloria mercifully opted not to keep goading him. Instead, she flicked her gaze towards the electronic signage at the front of the cabin to relay information Bede could’ve easily deduced if he just made the absolute minimum of effort. Evidently, that wasn’t what he was really after, but neither were about to acknowledge it.

"It's the next stop." She smiled patiently, and for once in his life Bede felt like a fool. The entirety of travel time was merely two stations, less than ten minutes, tops. Somewhat embarrassed, he wondered again if his proximity to the champion might be lowering his IQ.

As the two disembarked, Gloria decided to put her carefully thought-out plan into action. She turned towards Bede with such steadfast conviction that his eyes went wide at her abrupt, undivided attention. He shrunk back a little as she closed in on him, a predatory smirk playing upon her lips.

“I bet you’re wondering what I was thinking about on the ride over.” 

Bede could feel sweat gathering at the back of his neck. “No. Why would I?”

Gloria’s eyes hooded over all too knowingly. "Well, I was trying to brainstorm a decent spot for our match."

“Oh, really?” Bede managed to perk up a bit at the sound of finally getting somewhere, battle-wise. “Such as?”

“There's this neat little patch of cliffside on Route Seven, just over the bridge, hardly any people around, and it’s got a fantastic view!” She exclaimed, arms flailing outwards in an attempt to illustrate the vastness of the scenery.

Shoving his hands into his pockets with a slight shrug, Bede found himself smiling at her spirited demeanor. “Works for me.” He could care less about the view, he thought, falling into step at her side.

They took a left from Hammerlocke station, making their way across the bridge at a leisurely pace. It was a fine day for a battle; the warm midday sun illuminating a cloud-streaked sky, snow-capped mountains cresting hazily in the distance, faint cries of wild Pokemon sounding from the gentle hills sloping beneath their path.

Occasionally, a passerby would shout excitedly at the unlikely duo, to which Gloria would politely wave and Bede would simply nod, neither particularly willing to stop and humour their anointed celebrity status as A-list trainers. 

Bede deftly chanced a look at the champion walking alongside him oh-so casually. Supposedly, he should feel glad she was no longer toting him about like luggage, yet... His gaze drifted towards her hand for a passing moment before he quickly tore it away. 

_That_ was not on the table. He balled up his sweating palms within his pockets, as such thoughts should really not be crossing his mind. Gloria was nothing but his cherished rival who irritated him endlessly. She was too much. Far too tenacious an opponent, overly kindhearted, and inexplicably, kind-of cute.

Bede could hardly understand how he managed to keep getting swept up in her antics, and begrudgingly, enjoy it. Everything stopped making sense whenever he found himself in the champion's orbit. She was the figurative curve-ball he never once anticipated to make such a notable dent on his life. Actually, that was an understatement, it was more like a crater. Nonetheless, here she was, beside him now like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Of course, such a scenic stroll was never meant to go undisturbed for long. Gloria’s carefully devised scheme, phase two, was set to engage. She glanced towards her reluctant companion, who was looking rather overheated, a roguish spark in her eye as she sized him up like that damn cake from earlier.

“Say, are you up for a real challenge?” 

Bede nearly rolled his eyes. As if having his ass handed to him year after year by the reigning champion wasn’t challenging enough. Still, he was curious what she could possibly be getting at, and decided to urge her on. "A _real_ challenge? ...Meaning?"

"Since we're no longer bound to tournament standards, why don't we set our own rules?" Gloria explained as she skipped ahead, over the slate bricks merging into grass and dirt, eagerly leading the way towards their mysterious battle location. 

"Interesting.” With building intrigue, the fairy-type trainer studied his cryptic rival as he followed her down a narrow, shrub-lined trail. “What exactly did you have in mind?"

Gloria spun on her heel to grin at him, walking backwards much too incautiously for the slope of their path. "I've been wanting to try some different battle styles, for extra difficulty. I feel like restrictions make for better practice."

Bede narrowed his eyes. "Is that all I am to you, practice?" 

She batted her lashes innocently. "Oh, you're much more. Who better to practice with than my greatest rival? Hear me out, please?"

"Go on…" Bede motioned for her to continue. Gloria was obviously buttering him up, and he was absolutely fine with that. 

"Three on three, like the battle tower. I think it's more fair, honestly. Plus, even if we know each other's parties, having a limited choice leaves an element of surprise." She said as she turned back around, the zig-zag of their course requiring her full attention.

“True, but I didn't see your whole team during today’s tournament." The gym leader raised an index finger to accentuate his point, though Gloria barely caught a glimpse as some loose gravel caused her to stumble slightly.

"So, that gives you more of an advantage than it does for me, considering you know my usual Pokemon quite well.” Bede continued, nonplussed at his rival's clumsiness.

After regaining her footing, Gloria decided to forgo the remainder of the path and jump the slight ledge to the overgrown grass of their destination below. Turning once more to face the gym leader, she observed his gradual descent, made with much more diligence as to where he stepped. “How about I tell you one of my picks, then? Before we start.” 

Bede hummed in thought as he finally joined the champion beneath their jagged trail, cradling his chin in one hand while the other gripped his elbow. Would knowing one Pokemon really tilt things in his favour? He was familiar with the team members she used often at the tournaments, but he also knew that she kept a vast roster boxed away. 

“Fair enough, but only if it’s one I haven’t seen already, should you decide to use one of those.” He had been won over. What harm could it do to play along? It was a compelling proposition, and perhaps he could beat her at her own game.

"Then it's settled." Gloria nodded amiably, before her face split into a cocky grin. "I bet I can guess all three of yours.” 

Something about her smug expression made Bede feel slighted. “If you were to assume I don’t have any benched Pokemon, you'd be wrong. We’re off the pitch, so there’s no need to adhere to the aesthetics of my gym right now.”

Gloria’s smile widened, hands firmly clasping together in pure excitement that evidently told as if this was exactly what she hoped for. “Oh, this will be fun.”

"Are you saying you don't always have fun battling me?" He refuted, lifting a single platinum brow.

Her expression shifted into something more coy. “You know I do… I thought I told you already, or did you just want to hear it again?"

Gloria had taken his lighthearted jab and turned it on him, catching Bede off guard. She was right, she _had_ said earlier that he was, apparently, her favourite person to invite to such matches. His mouth went dry at the reminder; how she'd practically whispered it like some grand secret, keeping him at a standstill with only her touch. What could he even say to that? Perhaps he should just roll with it, no one else was around.

"Maybe." He confessed weakly, shifting his gaze away. Bede brought the back of his hand up to his face, the best he could manage to obscure the blush he was fighting as he searched for a distraction. His eyes wandered over their chosen venue, looking everywhere but the champion herself.

She had led them to a secluded rocky outcrop jutting from the side of the mountain where the bridge to Spikemuth was anchored. Lushly patched with grass, there were a couple trees to their right, one ripe with berries. It was a limited space, just barely large enough for a one-on-one match. The steep drop of the cliffside they stood upon was fenced off for safety, its aged wood creaking as Gloria leaned upon it, laughing softly to herself at Bede’s earlier admittance. 

Readying his wit, the gym leader finally faced his rival’s direction, but stopped short of a breath as he truly took in the scene she silhouetted. From their vantage point, the wild area was quite magnificent. A natural work of art—expansive plateaus and valleys carved into the land, ancient stone landmarks rendered like sculptures, verdant seas of wild grass, trees, and sedges shaded by clouds above. Lakes seemed like mere ponds, sunlight glinting off their still waters. Far beneath them was the railway, toy-like trains speeding into the distance along the track.

The true scale of Galar’s cities were a sight to behold. In the furthest right corner, as far as could be seen beyond Hammerlocke’s immense walls, were vast plains of farmland. Turffield town; barely visible if not for its acres of agriculture. Closer to them, on the left, was a glittering ocean. The seaport of Hulbury sat neatly in the dip of the bay, surrounded by triangular specks of sailboats teetering in the wind. Squinting from the sunlight, Bede could make out the colourful marketplace tents, the gym, the lighthouse... the mines. At the center of it all, plumes of steam gently drifted off Motostoke, the city's red bricks towering over the green earth below. Grandiose bridges connected the towns, dividing the untamed wilderness into almost organized sections. 

“Pretty amazing, huh? Told you.” Gloria tilted her head in Bede’s direction, flashing him a grin. Smiling back ever so slightly, the fairy type leader allowed himself to nod in agreement.

“Behind those mountains way back,” She pointed to the farthest edge of the wild area, bordered by sizable forested hills. “There’s my hometown, Wedgehurst, and the Slumbering Weald.”

“Wish I could see it.” Gazing in the direction the champion had gestured to, Bede joined Gloria at the railing, resting his palms against the chipped wood. Eventually, his violet eyes returned to the girl beside him, her brown ones examining his closely.

“The mountains are blocking the view...” Bede provided, noticing the strange expression passing over his rival’s features. Gloria chuckled in response, her laugh a little awkward at first, then gentle as she glanced away.

After a pause, she softly spoke again. "I'm glad we stepped out of the stadium.”

With her voice weakening and her face rapidly heating, Gloria felt a great need to lighten the mood and get on with their match. 

“Though, this battle is what you've been waiting for, isn't it?" The champion pushed off from the fence, positioning herself near the trees. She turned around slowly, gathering all her willpower to concentrate on upcoming fight.

“Finally.” Bede grinned, his excitement for a good match heightening his spirits at an instant. Practically sauntering over to stand across from his opponent, the fairy type trainer assumed his signature pose, a hand elegantly outstretched towards his rival.

“I hope you’re ready for me to defeat you on your own terms.” His eyes lidded in a haughty manner, at which Gloria couldn’t help but smirk. Bede was always so self-assured. 

With a brief giggle, Galar’s unbeatable champion pulled a Pokeball from her cardigan pocket, rolling it gently in her palm. There was no way she could lose.

“We'll see about that. Are you ready to know which Pokemon I’ll be using?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending it there because I don't even know yet lmao... Anyway hope y'all enjoyed this chunky update


	4. Match Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god do I try...
> 
> This chapter be thicc. Get comfy, friends

_“Bisharp.”_ She had said, ever so certain. Gloria then tucked the Pokeball she brandished back into her pocket, granting her rival time to strategize.

Lifting a hand to his chin, Bede furrowed his brow in thought. A dual counter to his psychic and fairy types would prove to be troublesome. How typical of the champion to go straight for his weaknesses. Would she lead with it? What could he possibly do to prepare? Reaching into his pocket, the gym leader took out his rotom-phone to access his storage boxes. 

Knowing precisely which Pokemon he wanted to bring off the bench, a greatball soon materialized in a static flicker, dropping directly into Bede’s palm. Truly, rotom technology was a wonder of convenience. He then swiped across the device in order to appraise his item inventory.

There had to be something among his possessions that could give him an edge, Bede figured, scrolling through his extensive collection of TMs and TRs. Trying out some new moves might not be a bad idea. This was supposed to be “practice,” after all. Scanning down the list, a fire-type attack caught his eye. He'd used it in the past, but had swapped it out in favour of a dark-type one.

Aware that his rival would have a steel-type or even two, now seemed like the perfect time to bring some firepower back into his movepool. Not to mention, if he correctly guessed from Gloria’s team, he might be able to use one of her own Pokemon to his advantage. 

Placing his phone back in his pocket, Bede leveled his gaze with his opponent, who, during their brief intermission, had busied herself inspecting the trees on her side of the cliff. Hands in her pockets, eyes locked on the berries hanging above, Gloria ineffectively kicked at the trunk in an attempt to make the fruit drop. None did.

Bede cleared his throat to catch her attention. “Don't you feel boxed in by those trees?”

She turned to smirk at him, eyes glinting. "If I ever felt boxed in, I wouldn't be champion.”

At that, Bede momentarily wondered if she was not actually referring to the terrain, but rather, the rules she had imposed. 

“Well, champion, I believe I am ready. Now, shall we begin?”

With a hand splayed across his chest, the gym leader unleashed his most confident grin upon his rival as she excitedly pumped a fist in the air, matching his dazzling smile with her own determined one.

“Alright, let’s do this!” Gloria called out as she brought her arm down in front, hand unfurling to reveal a Pokeball already within her grasp.

This was it, the moment he had been anticipating all day. Bede could feel his pulse beginning to quicken as he selected his lead. With a flourished twist of his hand and a bend of his knee, the gym leader tossed his ball in a perfect pitch, whereas the champion casually lobbed hers from the center of her palm as if skipping a stone.

On Gloria’s side of the battlefield, a Ninetales emerged, accompanied by a sweltering burst of heat radiating from its body. Despite her proximity, the champion barely flinched, while Bede took a step back as the sudden increase in temperature washed over him. He was familiar with this Pokemon of hers; how Gloria had boasted of its rare drought ability, how powerful its fire-blast was, how his Mawile stood no chance against it. This time would be different, though, because Ninetales was precisely the Pokemon that he was banking on to shift the odds in his favour. 

Appearing on Bede’s side, his Galarian Rapidash touched down on the grass. Scuffing a single hoof through the earth, the pastel equine stood tall and proud in front of its trainer, whinnying in challenge and tossing its fabulous mane. In response, Ninetales seated itself, tails flicking one after the other in perfect sync, appearing as calm and collected as the trainer behind it.

Gloria raised a brow at her rival’s choice. “I'm surprised you didn't lead with Mawile.”

“What can I say," Bede smirked with a casual lift of his hand. "Your extra credit assignment inspired me to switch things up.” 

Smiling in amusement, Gloria raised her arm in sync with his, both trainers commanding their chosen Pokemon to begin the fight.

First to attack, Rapidash quickly reared up, smashing both hooves and its glowing horn simultaneously into the dirt with a mighty stomp. Soil flew forward from the point of impact, carried by a spiralling cone of energy which drilled rapidly through the earth to strike at Ninetales for a super-effective hit. 

The fox Pokemon stumbled backwards with a cry, but remained upright. Growling at its foe, azure embers formed at the tips of its tails, signalling an impending will-o-wisp. Rapidash attempted to dodge; but with a quick, aggressive whipping motion, Ninetales sent the copious blue flames hurtling towards the unicorn, burning it.

Then, in an abrupt flash of light, Ninetales disappeared, replaced with a beating flurry of shiny black feathers and a piercingly loud crow. Rapidash snorted in frustration, its second attempt at a drill run failing to hit the Corviknight summoned before it. 

As his afflicted Pokemon winced from its status condition, Bede’s smile faltered. “Switching already?”

“ _Strategic_ switching.” Eyes hooded in a daring glean, Gloria gestured towards him. “You should try it sometime.” 

Rapidash was suddenly withdrawn, a Reuniclus appearing in its place to take the oncoming blow of Corviknight's iron head, its impact glancing off the bulky psychic-type. 

“How’s that for strategic switching?” The gym leader smirked, chest puffed out in self-satisfaction.

“Not bad…” The champion folded her arms, assessing both the Pokemon and its trainer before her. “So, you evolved your Duosion? You’re full of surprises today." She grinned. "I like it.”

Bede couldn’t help himself from smiling wider, though it held a devious slant. With a bit of luck and some careful prediction, he’d have more surprises for her, yet.

The giant raven looped back, sending itself high into the air before tucking in its wings to recklessly dive-bomb Reuniclus. Corviknight recoiled on the return to its side of the field, some damage taken to itself during the collision. Its cell-shaped opponent then shone with a weird, pulsating glow, bathing the entire cliffside in a prismatic grid—Trick room.

Now able to move first, Reuniclus curled its green arms before it, casting a semi-transparent barrier with a luminous swipe of its limbs. Corviknight launched itself skywards for another brave bird attack, twisting in the air as it swooped down to strike Reuniclus beak-first. Bracing itself with the aid of reflect, the jelly-like Pokemon absorbed the hit with ease, its opponent flinching from the recoil. As the two Pokemon stared each other down, a cool breeze swept across the battlefield; the effects of Ninetales’ drought finally fading away.

The corner of her mouth twitched as Gloria pondered her next plan of action. That reflect on Bede's side might actually pose to be a problem. What if his Reuniclus could recover? With all the set-up it was packing, combined with the Hatterene her rival undoubtedly had in waiting, it posed a sufficient threat. She’d have to take it out, the sooner the better. 

Gloria considered bringing out Bisharp, but ultimately decided against it, as a special attacker would be a better option with reflect on the field. Returning Corviknight to its ball, Ninetales rejoined the fight, its sun-like heat rippling through the area almost as soon as it had left. 

Across the field, Reuniclus was squinting in concentration, channeling a focus blast between its massive arms before finally punching the glowing ball of energy towards its foe. Shaking off the hit, the fox Pokemon appeared unphased, stepping back into position with grace.

“You're switching rather often. Nervous? Have I managed to throw you off your game?” Bede tilted his head, attempting to provoke his overly-composed rival. Really, the fairy-type specialist was somewhat worried he might be running out of turns to coordinate his strategy.

Gloria narrowed her eyes, but her smile stayed put. “I'm just preserving my strength.”

With a purple flash, Reuniclus let loose a powerful psychic attack, but its opponent endured, determined to hold out for its trainer. Panting with fatigue, Ninetales steeled itself and bared its teeth, red eyes glowing with dark energy. As shade-like flares grew to encircle the fire-type in a pulsating swirl, a simultaneous wave of all its tails sent the attack flying towards Reuniclus. The dark pulse hit the opposing psychic-type for super-effective damage, knocking it to the ground, defeated. 

Withdrawing Reuniclus, Bede spoke softly to his fainted friend within its ball. “I know it's been a while, but you battled well. Thank you.”

Gloria felt her heart warm, charmed by her rival's gentle handling of his Pokemon. She looked to her own teammate with a smile. "Nice work Ninetales, as always." The fire-fox glanced back at its trainer with a nod, tails wagging at the praise.

As he exchanged one Pokeball for another, Bede addressed his opponent with an outstretched arm and a spark in his eye. “Now, for my star to shine.” 

Her prediction affirmed, the champion beckoned him with a curl of her palm and a knowing grin; his "star" could only be Hatterene. 

The fabled forest-witch graced the battlefield in a white glow, unleashing a powerful gleam of dazzling pink light at its opponent with a flick of its clawed tassel. As the flash faded, Ninetales slumped into the grass, unable to fight any longer. Wincing for barely a second, Gloria returned her Pokemon to its ball, keeping her cool as she selected her next one.

Trick room's duration timed out at last, the glowing prism of light which once encased the cliffside dissolving into thin air. Soon after, Bisharp emerged on the champion's side of the field, swiping its knife-like arms together in a grating clang, sharpening them. 

Wary but confident, Bede grinned as the Pokemon he had prepped for finally entered the fight. "Okay, Hatterene, it's time to really light things up." 

The fairy Pokemon seemed to mirror her trainer's expression, delighted at both the chance to show off its newly re-learned move and the prospect of fiery carnage. 

Gloria squinted at that comment. _Light things up?_ Another dazzling gleam, probably. She signalled to Bisharp for an iron head attack, but with reflect still active, it just wasn't enough to take out its opponent.

Hatterene brushed itself off with its tassel, glaring at the Pokemon across from it. Closing its eyes in concentration, the witch Pokemon began to glow, the sweltering air seemingly drawn towards the fairy-type. As it opened its eyes, white-hot flames burst forth at Hatterene's command, a devastatingly powerful mystical fire rushing over the battlefield in a torrid blaze.

Instinctively, Gloria crossed her arms in front of her face, remnants of dancing embers from the drought-boosted attack scorching the foliage around her. A sticky-sweet scent wafted about—the berries she had sought earlier finally fell to the ground, thoroughly cooked.

Heart racing, Bede beamed with pride, for that was surely a critical hit. All his meticulous planning had paid off. Excited to see his rival's reaction, he watched, breath at bay, as she withdrew her arms. Gloria scanned the burnt grass before her, mouth prying apart in a gasp as her widened eyes settled on her unfortunate steel-type partner.

Shocked silent, the champion was utterly lost for words as Bisharp dropped to its knees, trembling and blackened, tendrils of ashen smoke wafting off its singed form. Unable to keep itself upright, the knightly Pokemon eventually crumpled face-first into the charred dirt. 

_Did you see that!?_ Bede wanted to cheer, the elation intoxicating. It was an instant knock-out, an exquisite prize rarely wrenched from the champion’s troves. However, any potential commentary died in his throat as the gym leader found himself stunned by his rival’s visage. Fingers in a fist, teeth grit in a grimace, needles in her gaze. This was not the same person, was it? 

She remained quiet while her defeated Bisharp returned to its Pokeball, tenderly stroking its enclosure in a silent apology. As the reflective barrier of light that buffered Bede’s portion of the cliff evaporated, Gloria’s stare bore into the trainer across from her.

There was a darkness in her eyes that sent a shiver through him, a cutting glance of assured victory, despite all he had done to turn the tables. An icy depth of oceanic perception dragging him and his unlikely win asunder. Her lips locked tight, then slowly split in a small, cold smile, like he never truly had a chance and she knew it from the start. The waves of her will crashing over him, knocking Bede off balance, leaving him exhilarated in a way he felt he probably shouldn't be. 

It fascinated him—This side of her that he rarely caught a glimpse of, when she took her battling so seriously, she became an apparition of the person he thought he knew. It wasn't easy to throw Gloria off kilter; however he trained, practiced, and strategized just to do so. It felt as if she could predict his every move, reading him with complete ease while he poured out all the effort he had just to catch her off guard for a fleeting moment.

Corviknight was promptly brought back to the battlefield, the metallic gleam of its crown barrelling into Hatterene head-on, striking the pastel witch at full force. Bede flinched as he watched his dearest Pokemon topple backwards in defeat, quickly raising his Pokeball to withdraw Hatterene before it made impact with the parched earth. 

Biting the inside of his cheek, Bede knew the match was set; his Rapidash already weakened with a crippling status. Sweat rolled down his temple, whether from the diminishing heat of Ninetales' drought or from the intense look Gloria had given him, he didn't know.

As Rapidash returned to the fight, so did his rival's composure. So it rang true, he thought, that those who commanded great strength were also the best at hiding it. The champion's frigid fury which mercilessly gripped him departed as quick as it appeared, a receding tide replaced by the distilled waters of her impetuous yet kindly persona. Bede desperately wanted to make those waves again, drowning be damned.

With a lift of his hand, the gym leader ordered his Pokemon to attack; the candy-coloured unicorn landing a lackluster zen headbutt, weakened by its burns and the type disadvantage. Undaunted, Corviknight lowered its head, red irises fixated on its target, accelerating towards Rapidash for one final, finishing blow. 

Returning his fainted Pokemon, Bede closed his eyes and brought his hand above his heart, willing his thundering pulse to ease. It was, perhaps, their most extraordinary match yet. He released the breath he was holding as he opened his eyes, watching as Corviknight swooped back to land next to its trainer, spreading its wings in victory with a joyous cry. Gloria ruffled her Pokemon’s feathery beard, commending it for a battle well fought, before recalling the cooing raven back to its ball.

The champion turned to meet his gaze, advancing towards him, and Bede mimicked the action, deciding to meet her halfway. His hand rose to sweep through his curls as the fairy-type trainer struggled to congratulate his rival. “I can’t say I’m surprised at this outcome. Despite that, it was an amazing fight. Well worth the wait.”

“You had me on the ropes for a bit, there.” Gloria said sheepishly as she adjusted her messy hair, blown wild by the effects of their Pokemon’s attacks. Bede fought back the urge to fix it for her. Instead, he searched her eyes for that strange darkness he had witnessed earlier, but it was nowhere to be found. There was only warmth, the evening sun lighting up her chestnut eyes, dappled with small golden flecks he never noticed before.

Grinning at him, she continued. “That was pretty clever of you, using my own Pokemon's ability to your advantage. I had no idea you'd be packing a fire-type move!” 

"Well, you gave me ample time to make preparations.” Gesturing as he spoke, Bede paused in contemplation. He didn’t want to sound overly eager, but he was certain he wanted another match like this. “I wouldn’t mind having this sort of practice session again, sometime."

At that, Gloria’s enthusiasm seemed to explode, her smile downright blinding. “Me too, I think it was the best battle we’ve ever had!” 

Bede met her grin with his own. “It was, admittedly, pretty incredible.”

“You were pretty incredible.” The champion murmured, fondness in her tone as she playfully socked his shoulder, causing him to blanch slightly at her unexpected brawn.

Still smiling, Bede rubbed at the spot where her fist made contact, her praise flooding him with a weirdly pleasant feeling. He never doubted his competence, but to have it affirmed was always a treat—and bestowed by the strongest trainer he knew, no less. With his already enormous ego inflating further, and the adrenaline from their battle still coursing through him, the gym leader felt remarkably brazen. He could stand to show a little appreciation.

Eyes half-lidded, he stared down at Gloria through his thick lashes, considering what to do. Remembering how Hop had basically thrown himself at the champion not once, but _twice_ earlier that day, Bede figured he was owed at least one hug. That would be fine. It’s what friends did, wasn’t it? Grin broadening, he extended his arm for what appeared to be an innocent handshake. 

As soon as Gloria placed her palm in his, he smoothly reeled her in to wrap his arms around her. She let out a soft squeak of surprise, prompting Bede to cling a little tighter, simply because he found the sound quite adorable. His heart leapt when his rival squeezed him in return, her hands trailing up his back, fingertips pressing into the fabric of his coat. It felt nicer than he imagined, wonderful, even. He could get used to this.

Bede dipped his head, his chin grazing her disheveled hair and pushing her hat askew. He chanced a subtle inhale, catching the scent of roasted berries and pungent ash mixed with something distinctly her. Greedily, he tried to memorize the latter, shutting his eyes with a soft, contented sigh. He didn’t realize how badly starved he was for simple human contact. It felt way too good, too perfect…

His eyes shot open, confidence beginning to wane the longer he lingered, hoping Gloria didn’t notice the rapid hammering caged beneath his ribs—fearful she could be listening in on truths locked tight, syllables he couldn't bring himself to speak. Swallowing the pulse in his throat as he pulled away, Bede tried to avoid her eyes, but couldn’t. She was gazing straight up at him, a flush on her face he liked a little too much, lips parting as if she were about to-

“Um... What was that for?” 

Oh. Sweat began to break across his features as panic seized Bede by the shoulders and shook him stupid. He was probably overstepping. Total lapse in judgment, there. 

"It was… your prize. For winning." _Hah._ What a pathetic excuse. It would be hilarious if it didn't come out of his own mouth. At least Gloria seemed amused, her laughter putting him at ease, somewhat.

Still slightly pink, she now wore a cheeky grin paired with a lifted brow. “How about all my other wins? Where’s my prize for those?” 

“Don’t push it.” He huffed, a hand settling on his hip, the other adjusting his collar. “Past tournament wins don’t count.”

“Hmm, what about our first few battles, then?” Without a doubt, Gloria was ribbing him on purpose. For what reason, he couldn’t imagine. 

Bede bit back a groan. "Ugh. Why remind me?” What an insufferable champion. Could she just drop it, already? He was embarrassed enough. 

Her smile waned as she glanced away, kicking at dirt. “I dunno, I guess I felt you hated me, back then. We’ve come a long way from that, huh?”

“Yeah…” His initial annoyance faded away. So that’s what she thought? No, that wouldn’t do. 

“I didn’t hate you, though. Maybe I tried to... to blame you for my own shortcomings." The gym leader sighed, ashamed of his past attitude. 

"Even so, I respected you as a trainer. I still do.” _More than ever before_ , yet he held back the sentiment. He wasn't about to get sappy, not now.

She looked back towards him, eyes a little brighter, her teasing grin returning. "Still wish you weren't born in the same time period as me?"

"If you keep needling me like this, then yes." Bede folded his arms, thoroughly finished with this train of conversation. 

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." She chuckled lightly. "Though, all this looking back reminds me... can you still do that spinny thing?"

He squinted at her. "What… Spinny thing?"

“You know, you used to always start a match with some sort of showy trick.” Gloria held up an index finger, then placed a Pokeball upon it, twirling the ball clumsily between her digits without letting go. 

"Oh, that? I don't flaunt it as often as before, but I suppose I could show you for old time's sake." Pulling a greatball from his pocket, Bede expertly twirled it on the tip of his finger before catching the ball in his palm with a smirk. "There. Satisfied?"

"How do you make it look so easy?" She pouted. "I wanna impress the challengers a little more... Be the 'cool' champion."

 _For what reason did she need to be 'cool' for?_ Bede thought offhandedly. She was already Galar's cutest champion—according to the tabloids, not him. Mostly. No matter, he didn't mind this opportunity to show off a bit.

The gym leader's thoughts were interrupted with his own snicker as he watched Gloria attempt to imitate his actions. Trying her hardest to put a spin on her Pokeball, it dropped to the ground almost immediately as she let go. The sulky scowl on her face deepened as the ball bounced through the grass before settling into a roll.

"The key is to maintain balance and momentum simultaneously-" Bede began to explain, but her Pokeball kept rolling along, over the edge of the cliffside and down the mountain face.

Yelping in panic, Gloria darted after it, vaulting herself over the ledge before Bede could say anything more. His words and jaw left hanging in shock, he lunged after her, gripping the railing with whitened knuckles while his other hand grasped uselessly over the edge at nothing but air. Heart stopping, Bede grit his teeth, afraid to look down for the battered remains of his rival who just launched herself off a fucking cliff with zero hesitation. 

Fortunately, the flash of blue which grazed the edges of his vision and subsequent bellowing _"KAAW"_ of her Corviknight confirmed his suspicions untrue. Slowly, Bede dropped his gaze below the cliff’s edge to catch a glimpse of Gloria's descent, now aided by the firm grip of black talons on each shoulder. He almost fell over backwards in relief. One way or another, it seemed, this girl was hellbent on sending him into cardiac arrest. 

He released his Gardevoir, the empathic Pokemon giving its trainer a look of concern as it floated to his side. 

“Don’t worry about _me._ ” Bede reassured the psychic type, a hand scrubbing over his features shortly before pointing towards the base of the mountain. “Now, please teleport us to that idiot down there.” 

Nodding, Gardevoir channelled psychic energy around them both, eyes glowing white as it drew its arms together in concentration. In a blink they appeared in the vast fields below the cliffside, not far from where Gloria searched for her missing Pokeball in an excessively frantic manner. Foolishly scrabbling in the tall grass on her hands and knees, it would have been an amusing sight if she hadn't nearly given him a heart attack with her reckless stunt.

The champion raised her head from her task, surprised at her rival's sudden appearance; slight shockwaves from his mode of transport rustling loose debris gently off the ground. “Oh, hey Bede, I was gonna be right back...” She said, distractedly and much too casual for his taste.

The gym leader stalked over without a word, his expression tense enough to take Gloria aback. Stopping at her side, he loomed menacingly, the overcast of his tall form somehow paralyzing her, as if trapped in a shadow tag. She blinked up at him, eyebrows steadily climbing up her forehead.

Bede then crouched down to her level, his stern look meeting her confused one, raising his hand to deliver a brutal flick of his forefinger just below her hairline. Gloria recoiled with a hiss, because _that really freaking stung._ Rubbing the back of her hand over the newly bestowed sore-spot, she glowered at him, expecting an explanation.

“Gloria,” He sighed raggedly, letting his stoic expression wither away as he assessed his rival with what appeared to be a semblance of genuine worry. “Could you give me some warning next time you decide to… to spontaneously sky-dive?” 

The champion's annoyed frown ebbed away into surprise. ”Um, sorry.” She answered meekly.

Rising from the grass, Gloria brushed the dirt off her knees before surveying the trainer in front of her with more disbelief than remorse. “I’m fine, alright? I’ve done worse. Besides, I didn’t want to lose sight of the ball.”

"Are you saying you do stupid stuff like that all the time?" Raising an eyebrow, Bede stood after her and folded his arms. “You could’ve just asked me to help.”

“Well, I didn’t think-” Gloria began, but was promptly cut short by Bede's harsh interjection.

“You didn’t think at all!” He pinched the bridge of his nose with an exasperated exhale. “Just, watch.”

At the gym leader's command, Gardevoir closed its eyes, focusing its energy upon the area surrounding them. Pulses of purplish light radiated outwards from the psychic Pokemon, causing wild Tranquil and Butterfree to flitter out of the grass at the disturbance. 

Anchored by their roots, the plants rattled in place, while rocks, sticks, and leaves lifted into the air—eventually, the lost ball following suit. Having found it at last, Garvdevoir opened its eyes, locking on to its target. With a graceful beckoning of its arm, the Pokeball floated towards them while everything else dropped back to the soil.

As soon as the ball was in reach, Bede snatched it out of the air, whispering a thanks to his Pokemon for its quick work before recalling it. Holding the Pokeball out to Gloria, she seemed fairly embarrassed as she tentatively held out her hand for the gym leader to press her ball into it.

“Thank you.” The champion tucked the Pokeball away, not meeting Bede’s pointed gaze. "I was handling it, though…" She added in a mutter that made his eye twitch in irritation.

"You stubborn little-" Bede stopped himself mid-sentence and raked a hand over his scalp. "If you insist on doing that again, it's common sense to let your Pokemon out beforehand. Not after you leap."

"I guess... I didn't expect you to care. Let alone scold me this bad." She grumbled, reaching up to rub at her forehead once more.

Bede frowned. He felt hardly out of line. She should be happy that he so generously decided to help her after what she had done. _The nerve._ “Don’t act like you didn’t deserve it. We were having a pleasant conversation before you cut it short in the worst way imaginable.”

“I said I was sorry.” Gloria dropped her hand, shooting him a guilty look. 

He wasn’t going to yield to some half-assed apology like that. “Not good enough. We're... friends, are we not?" 

Even if he had his doubts before, over the time he had spent by her side, Bede had decided that they were, in fact, friends. Decided that he quite liked Gloria’s presence, much more than he thought he would. Decided that he didn’t want whatever it was they had between them—their battles, their history, their future—to slip from his grasp, especially for something as moronic as a Pokeball rolling down a mountain face.

Though still somewhat apprehensive, the champion began to visibly brighten at his words. "Yes! I mean, yeah, I'd like to think so."

“Then, you should know better than to do irresponsible shit without saying anything.” He shot her a quick glare before softening it, trying to make his point clear. "You... startled me. Undefeatable doesn’t translate to invincible."

Brows knit, Gloria examined him with a wavering stare before dropping her gaze to her feet with honest regret. Finally, she seemed to be getting it. "Okay. You're right, I'm an idiot."

Bede felt a slight smile inch itself back onto his face. "No need to state the obvious. Grovel a bit more, and I’ll let it slide."

"Please forgive me, your eliteness…” She said sarcastically, before her tone settled into something more sincere. “I promise not to worry you again."

“You better not.” The gym leader’s palm landed on top of Gloria’s hat, coaxing her messy bob into further disarray as he wiggled her beret around in a rather lengthy pat.

Lightly swatting Bede’s hand from her head, the champion turned aside, trying to conceal her reddening face as she tidied up her ruffled locks. What was she, a disobedient Pokemon? Not that she minded his doting touches, it was just so unexpected, coming from the same guy who used to call her a talentless hack. Then again, that was long past. He didn't hate her, they were friends; he had even said it himself... That very fact filled her with a feverish joy that was difficult to contain.

Re-affixing her beret, Gloria took the quiet moment to glance around where the two of them had ended up—an elevated junction in the Wild Area between Hammerlocke Hills and Giant’s Mirror. Grazing the hilltops in a golden glow, the sun was just beginning to sink from the darkening sky; its clouds, a chromatic mixture of pale purples and murky blues, outlined in brilliant orange.

She looked back towards Bede, who seemed to have the same idea, gazing out at the sun-kissed wilderness. He looked... handsome, staring off to the side, sunbeams highlighting his fair features and casting a warm halo over his mass of fluffy hair. So soft and pretty. Ugh, it was downright unfair how good looking he was. How could this possibly be the same stuck-up kid who tried to rob her in a cave? He seemed to be a shadow of that person, now. A rather enticing shadow, aged like a fine wine- _Oh man_ , she had to get a hold of herself; gawking at him like this was doing nothing to relieve the flush on her face.

Shaking off her thoughts, the champion finally broke their silence. “It’s getting kinda late. I guess you should get going soon, huh?”

Violet eyes darted towards her. “Just me? Shouldn’t you go home, as well?” Bede had sort of assumed they would head back into town, together. He wouldn't mind escorting her, perhaps they could catch another train...

“I was gonna camp out here.” Gloria answered.

Bede blinked at her, surprised. “Camping? Why?"

She shrugged. “Weather's good. Besides, other than my mom’s house, I don’t have my own place. I usually camp, or hole up in some hotel for a while.”

"Surely you could afford an apartment or something." He noted, looking slightly confused.

"Why own a place I'll rarely be? Just another shelf for my trophies to collect dust…" Gloria turned her eyes away, a subtle somberness laced into her voice. "I go where I'm needed. That's usually here." She gestured to Galar’s wilderness.

Bede did not expect to learn that the champion, of all people, lived in such a way. Then again, he had never stuck around long enough after their battles to find out. A budding curiosity bloomed in his mind and took root. Suddenly, he wanted to know everything about her. 

“What is it that you’re needed for in the Wild Area?” He continued to pry, studying Gloria as she set down her bag to pull out her camping gear.

“Well, as the strongest trainer in the region, I often get called in to deal with rowdy Dynamax Pokemon that the league staff can’t handle." She replied, tossing a tarp to the side. "Rescue operations, too, sometimes. Have you ever seen a den collapse?”

“I don’t think I want to.” Frowning at the thought, he was starting to understand what Gloria meant when she mentioned she had ‘done worse’ than throw herself off a cliff.

Focused on her things; tent poles, foldable chairs, and other supplies soon joined the tarp on the ground as the champion continued to speak. “I like to try and help out any young trainers I see around, as well. Give them unsolicited advice, maybe some items... Or even a Pokemon, if I feel like it.”

“Huh." How awfully generous of her. Bede tilted his head, pondering all this new information. "Have you given out any endorsements, yet?”

“Nah, no-one’s really caught my eye in that regard.” Gloria said as she lifted a curry pot out of her bag. How all that junk managed to fit in there was a mystery.

“Ah. Well, I’d like to know if you do, the last few challengers have been rather sub-par. I’m certain whoever you’d endorse would be an opponent actually worth my time.”

She paused in the midst of her rummaging to glance up at Bede with a smile. “Sure, you’ll be the first person I tell.”

Turning back to her task, a rolled up tent was thrown over her shoulder, and the champion finally stood to assess her assortment of stuff. “Time on the mind,” Gloria mused in a sing-song voice, "I think I'll be making supper, soon."

Fishing out her cooking utensils from the pile she had accumulated, she glanced back towards the fairy-type trainer. “And, since you’re still here, are you hungry?”

Right, Bede thought, he should probably take his leave. He had plenty of opportunities to go, yet somehow, he ended up sticking around. Almost like he didn't really want to... Suddenly self-aware, Bede wondered if he had overstayed his welcome. The sun was already low in the sky, no doubt it would be dark in just a few hours. Yeah, they had spent more than enough time together; he should definitely get going.

“I’m fine.” He replied at last, but of course, right then, Bede’s stomach would betray him with a conspicuous growl. The gym leader groaned in annoyance as Gloria chuckled at his expense.

“Aw, you should’ve had more for lunch than just cake.” She teased, throwing a smirk in his direction as she tapped a spoon against her chin.

Embarrassment fanned across his features in the form of a hot blush. A reminder of the whole cake ordeal was really not what he needed right now. Bede squeezed his eyes shut to banish both the colour from his face and the awkward memory away. Upon opening them again, he was met with his rival's warm, hopeful smile. 

"Wanna join me for curry?"

For a split second, an image flashed in his mind of Gloria in a cute frilly apron, handing him a delectable plate of curry she made just for him. _'I put my heart into it...'_ She would say shyly, a rosey hue tinting her cheeks-

With a single, firm shake of his head, Bede cleared his muddled thoughts of the unfounded domestic fantasy. He opened his mouth and shut it again. She was waiting for an answer. Oh, fuck it.

"Okay."

* * *

"Gloria, you're spilling it everywhere." Bede could hardly hide the disappointment in his voice as he watched his rival furiously stir with a vigor that most would reserve for a workout. 

Berry pieces were flying out onto the grass, which, if approached by one of his hungry Pokemon, would cause them to scrunch up their face and slowly back away. Gloria's own teammates seemed to stand at a safe distance, wearing looks of begrudging acceptance. The poor creatures must be used to eating like this, too loyal to reject their trainer's questionable meals.

The champion had used her prized Ninetales to stoke the fire, making it far too hot, resulting in a constant stream of black smoke to rise from her concoction. It smelled like tar. There was no way he or his fickle team would be eating that garbage. If Eternatus obliterated every other food source in the region, starving would be the more enticing option.

With a shrug, Gloria casually waved her free hand as if nothing were amiss. "It's fine. I put plenty in it, what's a few lost bits?" 

“Uh-huh… May I ask, what did you even put in there...” It was less of a question and more of a relinquished lament, mourning his shattered delusion from earlier.

"It's made with fresh ingredients I picked straight off the ground!" She answered brightly, and Bede openly grimaced as Gloria continued to list off her recipe. "Roots, instant noodles, salad mix, fried food, bones…"

The gym leader’s frown deepened further with each ingredient she recounted. With way, way too much pride, Gloria carried on. "The camping king even gave me a reward for discovering so many unique flavours!" 

‘Unique’ was certainly one way to put it. _Arceus,_ Bede thought to himself, this girl is fucking hopeless. Without intervention, she would undoubtedly give herself food poisoning. It was a miracle she hadn't already. Perhaps her Ninetales incinerated any potential life brewing in her food... Had nobody taught her how to cook? With his growing hunger beginning to drive the gym leader to nearly manic irritability; enough was enough. He would take over.

“The camping king is a crackpot if he rewarded you for this sludge.” The fairy-type specialist sneered in disgust.

Eyes wide as the plates she had set, Gloria went silent as she watched Bede get up from his collapsible seat, don a set of oven mitts, and push her aside. Hoisting the curry pot up from the firepit, Gloria’s jaw dropped in tandem with her ladle when her rival strolled away from the campsite, their steaming ‘dinner’ in hand, and dumped it all into the furthest shrubbery he could find.

Finding her voice, the champion stuttered from shock. "Wh-what are you doing!!"

"Starting over." Bede said plainly as he returned, setting the pot back down and removing his mitts. He began scouring through his own supplies, revealing his personal set of fancy cooking equipment, stained with a brilliant gold coating.

"That was perfectly good food you just tossed!" She wailed, dismayed all her effort was so ruthlessly trashed.

Pouring fresh water into the purged container, Bede squinted at her in utter disbelief. "It was borderline atrocious. Consider it a donation to the local wild Pokemon, granted they survive eating it."

Gloria paled, outright devastated. _Atrocious_. Or, close enough. What difference did it make? Was her cooking truly that terrible? She felt as if her soul was leaving her deflating form in a pathetic wisp. How could this be? Her Pokemon always ate her food without complaint, and it tasted just fine to her... Spicy.

Bede was now crouched next to the firepit, having subdued the roaring flames into more manageable wisps. He glanced back to his rival, who stood stiffly to the side, her expression vacant, spirit crushed. 

“Get over here.” The gym leader commanded, to which Gloria obediently shambled next to him, still reeling.

Feeling only a tiny bit bad, Bede figured he would take it upon himself to teach her the basics, since she clearly did not know them at all. “Listen, I’m going to give you some advice. Stop using your Ninetales, and fan the flames yourself. You’re burning the food, instantly, with that kind of heat.”

Handing Gloria a fan, he continued his lesson. “This is how you stoke the fire; with a steady, circular motion.” He gestured for her to follow suit.

“Awful. Better. Good, keep doing that.” The gym leader instructed. “Next, only add the best ingredients you have. Buy them fresh, none of that trash from the ground. And, if it's vegetables, _wash them._ ”

“I know that…” She muttered as she continued to fan.

“Just making sure.” He replied, pouring a fair quantity of chopped potatoes into the boiling water. It was near impossible to go wrong with potatoes—the perfect ingredient for a beginner with a tendency to overcook. Bede mentally pat himself on the back for his excellent guidance. That champion better be taking note. 

Mixing in several spoonfuls of his very own blend of curry powder, he considered asking Gloria to help dice the berries, but thought better of it after picturing her holding a knife. Instead, the gym leader held out his gaudy ladle. “Here, you have a go now, without spilling it, please. Stirring faster doesn’t make it cook quicker.” 

After affirming his rival wasn’t about to blend their meal into a pulp, Bede turned his attention to his selection of berries, pondering which sort of flavours he should add to the pot. Gloria seemed to favour spice, though maybe that could be accredited to the fact that such heat would hide any unpleasant tastes. Having more of a sweet tooth, himself, he settled on a refined blend of mostly Liechi, some Roseli, and a Salac just for a little extra complexity. Only the rarest stuff would do, of course. 

After adding the freshly cut fruit into the mix, Bede plucked the ladle out of his rival's grip, shooing her from the firepit with a flick of his hand. “I’ll take it from here. Go play with the Pokemon or something.”

"Alright…" Gloria got up, taking one last peek at their supper. She had to admit, his curry looked a lot better than hers did, and it smelled positively divine. Tentatively, she made her way over to her bag, which she had left sitting next to her tent. Digging through her pack, Gloria took out a feathered Poke-toy, a big shiny ball, and a smaller, Tympole-themed one that made funny noises.

Placing the other toys aside but in reach, she squeezed the Tympole ball repeatedly, catching the attention of some Pokemon with its woeful squeaks. With a wide grin, Gloria raised the ball above her head and waved it around; multiple beady eyes following the movement, anticipating her throw. Instead of a toss, the champion whipped it downwards, driving the ball directly into the ground and causing it to emit a laughable, reverberating squeal as it rocketed off the dirt and into the air. 

Ninetales and Mawile bolted after the wailing toy, with the latter Pokemon managing to catch it between its huge jaws. Squashing the ball almost to the point of crushing it, the Tympole-esque cries echoed akin to pathetic whimpers as Mawile repeatedly chewed on it. Ninetales snorted, tiny wisps of flame escaping its nose, and Mawile let go, wary of the fire-type. Wagging its tails, the fox Pokemon picked up the ball with its mouth, sauntering a short distance away before turning around, dropping it, and batting the toy back towards Mawile. The two then fell into their own little game of catch.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bede would observe every so often. How could he not, with such a ruckus they were making. He was honestly surprised how well their party members seemed to be getting along—save for Gloria’s Bisharp and his Hatterene. It was rather funny how the steel-type would cower away from his darling witch, shuffling to the opposite side of wherever Hatterene went, even going so far as to hide behind his Gardevoir. His gaze eventually landed back onto his rival, who was now tossing a giant disco-like ball over her head.

Corviknight and Rapidash were absolutely losing their minds over the sparkly toy, with the raven bunting the ball to the ground each time the unicorn kicked it a little too high. The two athletically passed the glittering ball between them as they raced to bring it back to the champion for throw after throw. 

Gloria sure did have a way with Pokemon, that was obvious. Even his Sylveon, who Bede had taken months to bond with in order to coax it into evolving, was leaping up at her excitedly as if she were an old friend. In between tosses, Gloria would wiggle the Poke-toy at the ribbon-adorned canine, but it seemed much more interested in trying to lick his rival’s face each time she crouched to entertain it. How disgustingly cute… He was kind of jealous.

Eventually, the Pokemon tired of her antics and bounded over to Bede, drawn in by the heavenly scent of his well-tended curry. He smiled, proud of his nearly finished culinary masterpiece. There was merely one more thing to add, and it would be done.

Glancing back towards the gym leader as she gathered up the abandoned toys, Gloria did a double take, nearly dropping her balls at what she saw. _No fuckin’ way._ Hardly believing her own eyes, she immediately let go of all she was holding to yank her phone from her pocket and document the evidence.

Snap.

Bede whipped his head in the direction of what he undoubtedly heard to be a camera shutter. "Did you just take a picture of me?"

"What? No…" Gloria said, playing innocent.

His eyes narrowed. "I heard a click."

"It was probably a Pokemon!" She supplied, her following chuckle sounding fake as hell. The gym leader’s violet stare alternated between his rival's face and the phone in her hand. She gulped. “Oh, this? I’m just checking the weather… Lookin’ sunny tomorrow, haha. Yup.”

Lying to him? Unacceptable. Bede made sure to remove their dinner from the fire before marching over to confirm his suspicions. "Give me that." He said firmly, hand outstretched.

Backing away, Gloria tried to hoist her phone above her head, but Bede hooked an arm around her waist to stop her from escaping and she went practically limp in surprise, allowing him to easily wrench the gadget out of her hand. 

"That's not going to work when you're as short as you are." Bede brought the phone to his eye level as Gloria began to writhe in his grip, flailing pathetically at her stolen device, which was smoothly pulled out of her limited reach each time she got close. 

Assessing the image, it was most definitely a picture of him. Fingers bent into a little heart above the curry, Bede had been captured in the midst of adding his secret ingredient, wearing too-charming of a grin, surrounded by swooning Pokemon. An embarrassing sight to behold. The media would have a field day if this got out. How could Gloria do this to him—she should know better, the traitor. His thumb hovered over the garbage-can icon in the corner of the screen. "I'm deleting this."

"No!!" His rival thrashed against his arm, finally wrenching free. "It's cute..." She murmured, hoping to sound demure enough to catch him off guard for a final attack.

Steeling herself with a tenacity reserved for battle, Gloria fiercely lunged at her phone, but Bede simply mimicked her earlier actions and extended his arm above him. It was a critical miss that nearly sent her stumbling into the bushes. The champion grumbled in defeat; there was no way she could get it back like this, he was just too freakishly tall. With no choice left but to negotiate, Gloria put her palms together in a paltry prayer, last shreds of dignity cast aside for a bout of unbecoming begging. 

"Let me keep it!” Wide, pleading eyes, check. Cue the lip wobble. Then, a flutter of lashes for good measure. ” _Please,_ Bede?"

He rolled his eyes, yet it was accompanied by a pink tint to his cheeks. Yes, it was actually working. The fairy-type trainer’s Pokemon abused this tactic all the time. "You won't post it online?" He muttered, reluctance evident in his voice.

"I won't! I swear!" Gloria assured him, nodding briskly. "I just want a memento of today."

Bede looked down at her imposingly, eyes hooded in consideration. _A memento_ … He might like a keepsake of their day together, too. It would also be a good excuse to mess with Gloria, just because. Revenge, or something. This unspoken contest between them, an ongoing game of... Perrserker and Pikachu? Whatever. This one, he’d win.

“Hm. In that case, I think we can do better than that.” Bede graciously handed back Gloria’s phone and took his own out. Grabbing her cardigan’s hood like a baby Pokemon’s scruff, he swivelled his rival around so the two of them were facing the setting sun, catching the remainder of its fleeting light. He even let the corner of his mouth quirk up a bit as he snapped the photo. 

Setting his rival free once more, Bede’s smirk split into a devilish grin as he took a better look at his 'memento.' Face flushed scarlet, Gloria had an absolutely dumbfounded expression that amused him to no end. Her hand was hovering awkwardly over his shoulder, while Bede’s own hand secured her to his side by her waist. A bold move, but worth it for such a candid snapshot. He looked fairly ordinary, perhaps extra smug, but leagues less humiliating than how flustered Gloria appeared. Yes, this was a keeper.

Judging from her rival’s muffled laughter, Gloria guessed that it couldn’t possibly be a flattering picture. “I look stupid, don’t I?”

“Yes. It’s true to life.” Bede flipped his phone around to show her.

An embarrassed blush still staining her features, she mildly grimaced upon seeing the image. “Oi… Well, send it to me?” 

“Later.” He pocketed his phone. “The food’s ready, and I’m famished.”

Gloria pulled out a little card-case and flipped it open. “Here, I’ll just give you my number and you can send it whenever.” She selected a particularly shiny one and handed it over to Bede, whose eyes widened almost comically as he plucked the card from her grasp.

 _Her rare card._ Finally, Bede thought. _Yesss._ Wait. He promptly bottled up the excitement he never should have had in the first place. No need to get weird all of a sudden—It was just a trainer card.

...A rare one. Of the strongest champion in Galar’s history. Enclosed with her phone number- _Stop._ One short breath later, he flipped it over, glancing at the picture for a mere moment before holding it back out to Gloria, brows furrowed. “You didn’t sign it.”

She blinked at him. “Oh, whoops.” Patting down her pockets, Gloria quickly found a pen and scribbled her signature on the front of the card before handing it back. Without further ado, Bede opened his jacket to safely tuck away his newest prize. He’d take a better look at it, later, when Gloria wasn’t around. 

Looking him once over, then twice, the champion wore an expression somehow both puzzled and bemused. “Uh, do you want the picture I took?” 

“Absolutely not.” Said Bede, abruptly making his way back towards their meal. “Now, are you going to help me portion this for our Pokemon, or what?”

* * *

Gloria stared down at the heaping plate of potato curry shoved into her hands. It looked almost too beautiful to eat—There was even a garnish on top. Nothing how hers usually turned out; pitch black and crumbly. Is this how curry was supposed to look? It was practically sparkling. Piling a lavish amount atop her spoon, Gloria tensed when she noticed her rival watching rather intently. He was probably waiting to know what she thought of it. 

Taking her first bite, the champion’s unease melted away into sheer bliss upon tasting his creation. Sweet, spicy, savoury; she didn’t know it was possible to have so many flavours contained in one simple dish. It was practically restaurant quality, maybe even better. She began eagerly inhaling spoonful after spoonful, barely stopping to breathe. Who even knew Bede had it in him to make something so spectacular? A smug grin spreading across his face, the fairy-type trainer turned his attention back to his own plate, satisfied with her reaction.

“Wow…” Gloria sighed, finally opting to take a pause halfway through her dinner. “I could eat this every day for the rest of my life.” Oh wait, oh _shit_ that sounded like a proposal. 

“I mean, like, you’re a really good cook, I never would’ve guessed it, but yeah!! It’s amazing! The food! That you made! Thanks for the meal!!” She near-shouted, backtracking hysterically before deciding to shut herself up with another mouthful of curry. 

Bede lifted an eyebrow, oblivious to the cause of her outburst. "Of course it's amazing, I made it so. Anyway, you’re welcome. I hope you learned something from my example.”

“How couldn’t I? You really showed me up in the cooking department.” She replied, now calmer that Bede hadn’t acknowledged her minor freakout at all—much thanks to his colossal ego. 

The gym leader was clearly reveling in his superior skills, his smile slanting upwards as he conjured a fresh new insult. “If you could even call yours cooking. Composting, more like.” 

“Rude.” Gloria pouted, eyes scrunched into a thin line of anguish. “But not wrong. I guess.”

“You guess? I couldn’t tell your food apart from the charcoal in the firepit.” He was snickering between spoonfuls, now.

“Stoppp,” She groaned, “Before I need to use a burn heal.”

“For yourself or your curry?” Bede grinned wider. Why stop? He was on a roll.

“Fucks sake... Make it a full restore.” Gloria’s hand landed on her face, slowly pulling it downwards in exasperation at her rival’s onslaught of slander. 

He chuckled earnestly. “I don’t think I’ve heard you curse like that before. Am I getting on your nerves?”

“You’ve crushed my nerves to dust and I feel nothing.” She deadpanned, before cocking a brow at him. “You know, I’ve never heard you laugh this much.”

His cheeks warmed. So what if he was enjoying himself? She didn’t have to point it out. “Well… You’re just so easy to ridicule when you’re not demolishing me in battle. It’s entertaining.” 

Gloria narrowed her eyes, smirking a little bit. “Keep up the ridicule and I’ll demolish you outside of battle.” 

Shooting her his own trademark smirk, Bede tilted his head. “Are you threatening me? Hah, I’d like to see you try.”

She smiled wickedly. “Maybe I will. When you least expect it.” 

“How frightening.” Voice thick with sarcasm, he continued his taunts. “What are you going to do, punch me in the knee? Can you even reach?”

“You’re really tempting me, right now.” Gloria leaned in close, glaring as icily as she could, trying to appear intimidating. It was laughable at best, Bede thought, refusing to budge from his spot. He could easily pin her… and… Where was he going with this? The gym leader turned back to his curry, acting as casual as could be. If anything, she was tempting him; to do what, he didn’t want to think about.

“I’ll be waiting for it. Though I doubt you have the guts.” He decided to punctuate the statement with another bite of his meal.

Gloria shrugged and pulled back, returning her gaze to her own plate. The two soon finished their dinner and cleaned up, recalling their sated Pokemon back into their respective enclosures. By now, the sun had long set; stars sprinkled daintily across the inky blue night. Bede found himself staring up at them.

“I should probably call a taxi.” He muttered, turning back towards his rival.

“They’re pretty slow getting to the Wild Area at this hour. You can take my Corviknight. He knows his way around.” 

“Sure.” Bede said, accepting her offer without protest. It was pretty late, and he wasn’t keen on waiting after such a long day out and about. Releasing the flying-type, Gloria relayed her instructions to the metallic raven, who bowed in understanding. 

“...Thanks, Gloria.” Bede reached up to fumble with his collar. "Uh, I just thought I would mention... I didn’t have a terrible time, spending my day like this..." _With you,_ whispered some roguish sliver of his mind.

Gloria laughed at that, her eyes shining in a way that seemed to mirror the stars. “Not terrible, that’s an improvement. Well, I had fun. I’m glad we could be more than just rivals.” 

His breath caught for a second. Friends, that’s what she meant. They were friends now. Officially.

“That said, I’ll see ya at the next tournament!" She said with a wide, confident grin, before it began to wane with an uncharacteristic hesitance. "And... maybe, afterwards, we can hang out again. If you want.”

Was the champion nervous, as well? ...Impossible. He must be imagining it, among the other things he’d been hallucinating all day. Being her friend was more than enough. "I’d like that.” Bede replied.

Now facing Corviknight, the gym leader was about to hoist himself atop the kneeling bird when he was interrupted by a pair of arms clasping around his middle. Was Gloria... hugging him? He suddenly felt hot again; absolutely burning hot, the chill of the night doing nothing to soothe his scorching soul. _She was hugging him_ , her grip so gentle and body so warm, comfortably pressed against his back with a tightness that made him suck in a gasp. Fuck, he really liked it.

Hardly believing his own senses, Bede had no idea what to do. Turn around and embrace her, too? No, no, then she'd see how awfully red he was. Soon, his rival's arms were gone before Bede could process any form of response. He glanced back, only slightly so not to reveal his blush, wondering. _Why?_

"Bye, Bede." Was all that she said, waving him off.

The gym leader just nodded, unable to form even a simple goodbye in return. Better get going before his sanity completely left him.

* * *

After touching down in Ballonlea, with the town’s own gym leader safely disembarked, Corviknight turned around, about to take off once more and return to its trainer.

“Wait,” said Bede, and the raven folded its wings up, vivid red eyes glancing back at its former passenger. Its sharp stare was intimidating, the fairy-type leader had to admit. However, being one of Gloria's Pokemon, he knew there was more to the black bird than just an imposing presence.

“...Would you like a treat? For giving me a lift?” At that, Corviknight blinked and trilled at him, nodding its head eagerly. 

Bede smiled. "I knew you would. Follow me, it won’t take long.” Motioning in the direction of his shared home with Opal, the huge flying-type hopped after him as if it were still a Rookidee.

The lights were off at their cottage, his guardian having retired to slumber long ago. Bede swerved his route around to the back entrance, stopping at the door and turning to the Pokemon standing beside him. “One moment, Corviknight. I’ll be right out.”

Clacking its beak in response, the steely raven began to preen its glossy feathers in wait. It wasn’t long until the gym leader returned, a pink poffin-like pastry in hand, and Corviknight lifted its head with a delighted croon, plucking it out of his open palm. 

Bede chuckled softly as the Pokemon scarfed down its snack with gusto, making a bit of a mess. He gave it a pat on its crown as the bird dipped its head to the forest floor, pecking at the fallen crumbs. “You fought well, today, you know.”

Finishing its treat, Corviknight nuzzled into his touch, cooing at the compliment. Grinning, Bede dropped his hand back to his side. ”Make sure that trainer of yours doesn’t fall off any more mountains, for me.” 

The Pokemon made a chattering noise that sounded remarkably like distorted laughter, and with one last nod towards the gym leader, spread its grand wings and launched itself into the glittering night sky. Flap after powerful flap, the raven soared high above Galar's cities, their flickering lights guiding its way, swiftly crossing the region back into the natural dark of the wilds, where the stars shone their brightest. 

Gloria was just beginning to nod off within her tent, when a familiar crowing startled her to attention. Corviknight was poking its head through the entryway, tiny pink crumbs scattering from its beard onto the mat below.

"Got yourself some dessert, hmm, baby-bird?" The champion giggled softly, her smile and heart brimming with a tender warmth; she sat up to brush the remaining pastry pieces out of her Pokemon’s feathers before returning it to its ball. "Wonder where it came from..." She murmured for no one to hear but herself. Naturally, she already knew. 

Snuggling back into her sleeping bag, Gloria drifted off to the distant lullaby of hooting Noctowl and swaying grasses. Her last fleeting thoughts before sleep permeated her senses—that her improvised outing with her favourite rival had been a resounding success. It may have taken a while, but Bede was actually opening up to her; and he cared much more than he let on, she was sure of it. Maybe they didn't have to battle just to hang out, maybe... they could be even more.

* * *

In the comfort of his room, Bede laid wide awake. With the pale moonlight slipping through his curtains, joining the luminous glow of woodland fungi to dimly paint his bedspread in a pastel medley; it had to be way past midnight by now. 

Sleep wasn’t coming to him as quickly as he would’ve liked. Tossing and turning, he tangled up his downy purple blankets inherited from Opal; they were too warm, yet too cold if he removed them. Half-covered and splayed out across his mattress, Bede couldn’t fully blame the sheets—his thoughts kept drifting to the day’s events. It had been a bit of a wild ride, but fun, nonetheless. He finally felt willing to embrace Gloria’s company, her friendship. She was funny, brave, and sweet. Dense, but endearingly so. Whenever he closed his eyes, her smile lit up the dark of his mind. 

He hoped to see her again, soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why, yes, I tossed Gloria off a mountain specifically so I could write a hilarious camping scenario afterwards. What of it?
> 
> I know I could've broken this up into smaller, more digestible packets, but I really wanted to get their date over with. Yeah it was totally a date who are they fucking kidding
> 
> Anyway, I think you know exactly what’s up next. Hehe


End file.
